Assurance
by anatard05
Summary: Now a teenager, Emmi starts feeling that she is a disappointment to her dad and papa. A week of not seeing them has not made things easier.
1. Chapter 1

The team has been called away on a case and it had already been a week. Only Garcia stayed behind in case any of the team's family members needed help while they were away. Not wanting to bother Will and Jessica to look after Emmi, Reid and Morgan requested Garcia to stay over at their place until they get home. Needless to say, Garcia was more than happy to spend time with her partner in crime.

* * *

Garcia had just finished preparing spaghetti meatballs for dinner and a chocolate lava cake for dessert. Not wanting to make unnecessary mess she just left the pot of noodles and sauce side by side on the stove, washed used cutleries/utensils, wiped the counters and left the kitchen to get Emmi. She softly knocked on the teenager's slightly ajar door before letting herself in.

"Dinner is ready. And don't tell your daddies that I've made your favorite cake for dessert. Yummers!"

Emmi looks up from the book she was reading on her bed and let out a soft laugh. She loves having Garcia around especially when there is a chance she can fill her tummy with her treats.

"I won't Aunt Pen. But I'm not hungry now. Maybe later."

"Are you sure?" Garcia moved closer to the bed and sat on the edge. "Come on sweetie, the last time you ate was at 2pm and it has already been 6 hours since. I'm sorry dinner was late sweetie please don't turn me down."

"But I'm not hungry. I just want to finish this book and call it a day." Emmi murmured.

"Hey sweetie, what's wrong?"

"Nothing. Why ?"

"Oh sweetie, you're just like your daddies. You think you can hide something from me? Come on talk to me. I'm here for you."

"Why do you say I'm just like dad and papa?"

"Well for one, the three of you always think you could hide something from me when in fact it has already been program in me to realize that something is bothering you guys. And two, although I am not a qualified profiler, I can tell that you're hiding something just from the way you are now."

Emmi sighed. As much as she did not want to start talking about it she knew she does not have a choice because the next thing that will definitely happen is Garcia calling up her daddies and letting them know about it. Also it would make her feel better to let the issue off her chest. She took a deep breath.

"Aunt Pen, do you know why daddy and papa choose to adopt me?"

"Well they told me that they were ready to have a family and having a child or children will make their life more complete. Plus, both your daddies love kids despite your dad insisting that all children hate him."

Emmi already knew that. She don't need to ask to know why her daddies decided to adopt a child. What she meant was why 'her'.

"What do you mean sweetie?"

"Out of all those kids, why me Aunt Pen?"

"Emmi, is everything alright?" Garcia's voice filled with concern.

"I'm… I'm scared that one day dad and papa realize that they have made a mistake by adopting me. They will find someone to replace me." Tears started filling up her eyes. Before Garcia said anything she leaned forward and hugged her precious niece and rubbed soothing circles on her back. For a while Emmi continued crying. Once Emmi calmed down, Garcia told her she will be right back and went to the guest room to get her phone. She knew Reid and Morgan should be here with their daughter and holding her tight but due to their job she can only afford to make them talk to each other.

"Sweetie I'm sorry that your daddies aren't here with you right now to explain everything and make the hurt go away but let's call them alright? You can talk to them. I'm sure the whole week has been terrible with you missing them."

"It's alright Aunt Pen. I don't want to disturb them. They need the rest so that they can catch the bad guys faster."

Garcia was touched by the concern shown by the 13 year old. She kissed Emmi's forehead before dialing Morgan's number.

"They miss you too you know. So much." Garcia handed her the phone before leaving the room and slightly closing the door to give her the privacy.

* * *

Morgan had just finished his bedtime routine and proceeded to join Reid who was reading on the bed. Just as he was done setting the alarm in his phone, "Baby Girl" popped up on his screen.

"Hey baby girl."

"Hi papa?"

"Hey sweetheart. Everything alright? Where is Aunt Pen?"


	2. Chapter 2

Reid looks up from his book and turns to Morgan upon hearing that it was Emmi on the other line. Morgan quickly sat up and put the phone on speaker. Reid spoke first.

"Hey Emmi everything okay sweetheart ?"

The air between the two was filled with silence as Emmi tried to compose herself from bursting out into tears. Hearing her daddies voice made her miss them more than she ever thought was possible. On the other line, both Reid and Morgan were both worried and anxious to not hear a response from their daughter besides the sound of faint sobs. Reid leaned into Morgan seeking comfort from the heartache he felt from not being able to hold his daughter and be there physically for her. Morgan was also hurting at the same time as he pulled Reid in closer to him and wrapped him left arm around Reid tightly. Taking a deep breath, Morgan broke the silence.

"Emmi sweetheart, what's wrong? You have me and dad here. Talk to us baby."

"I miss you both." Emmi said softly causing her voice to crack.

"We miss you too baby. So very much. Sorry it is taking us so long but I promise you me and dad will be home very soon. You hang in there with Aunt Pen alright?"

"Papa"

"Yes baby?"

"Why did you and dad chose to adopt me?"

Both Morgan and Reid were stunned. Despite being a genius Reid's mind went blank and so did Morgan's. This is something that is very difficult to talk about on the phone. Morgan tightened his grip on his husband as he spoke on the phone.

"Emmi what do you mean? Your dad and I love you very much if you doubt it. It's just that our job sometimes gets in the way but even so it makes me and your dad love you even more. I am sorry we haven't been around much lately but we have never regretted having you Emmi."

"Papa is right sweetheart. There has never been a day and never will be a day that we regret having you. Sweetheart if there is anything that is telling you otherwise don't believe it. Don't think too much of it."

"Okay"

It was all that Emmi could afford to say. She wanted to tell her daddies everything but didn't have the strength to keep it together once she does. Reid and Morgan knew they were far from being done on this issue. Somehow there is something that is still not settled.

"Emmi sweetheart get some sleep okay? I promise you papa and I will come home soon. Do you want me to read a story while you try to get some sleep?" Reid hoping she would say yes so that he could do as much as possible to make her daughter feel better.

"Yes please dad. Thank you."

Reid took her off speaker phone and settled close against Morgan as he told Emmi to lie down and get comfortable. Softly with his ever so comforting voice, Reid began to read from a book he memorized when he was reading to her at home. After 30 minutes Reid called out Emmi's name but there was no respond – a sign that his princess had fallen asleep. Reid muttered a soft "goodnight sweetheart" and hang up the phone. He looks up at Morgan only to have their lips meeting each other. Both of them were tuckered out from the day's event and were too tired to focus on anything. Morgan made a mental note of calling up Garcia first thing in the morning.


	3. Chapter 3

"Hey is this a call to tell me you're done and coming home?" Garcia asked worriedly.

"Afraid not baby girl. We're calling to ask if there was anything that happened yesterday ?" replied Morgan after putting his phone on speaker.

Garcia filled the concern fathers with all that happened the day before. She mentioned a quieter than usual and moody Emmi right as she stepped in the house after school. When asked, Emmi dismissed it saying she was tired from not sleeping enough last night. The additional last minute knowledge that her fathers were gone on a case contributed to her moodiness. She also told them how Emmi turned down dinner and dessert despite it being her favorite. Both fathers were at a lost not knowing how to tackle the problem as they were not there. They thanked Garcia before hanging up the call. Both men seek comfort in each other feeling helpless about their daughter.

* * *

(2 days later)

Garcia walked quickly to open the door and was greeted with hugs from her favorite boys. Although the look exhausted the men pushed it aside and was glad to be back home.

Emmi sighed as she walks inside of her quiet home. She wonders how long will her daddy and papa be away. Each night has been sleepless and lonely. The unanswered questions in her head bothers her too much that she couldn't even pick up a book to read before bed. Lost in her thoughts, Emmi did not see the 2 figures that were standing at the top of the stairs until she took a few up herself.

"YOU'RE HOME !"

Emmi sprinted up the remaining steps eager to hug her fathers. Both men stepped back preparing themselves so neither of them would fall of the steps. Emmi reached her daddy first and hugged his middle tightly not believing that they are home. Both fathers returned their daughter's hug and Reid had tears welling up in his eyes. After a moment all of them composed themselves. As a profiler Reid and Morgan could not miss the dull and exhaustion look in their daughter face. They have decided to not say anything for now and just enjoy each other's company. Knowing that aunt Garcia would have prepared some food for the family, Emmi pulled her fathers quickly into the kitchen and ate their lunch.

* * *

After dinner the family sat down in the living room watching the new movie they bought a week ago – Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close. It was Emmi's personal choice saying that she read the book and was touched by the story. So she insisted that her fathers watch it too. Once the movie ended all of them agreed it was great. Morgan looked at Reid telling him that they have to say something about the incident a few days ago.

"Hey Emmi, can we talk about the phone call?" Reid asked gently.

Emmi looks up at him and Morgan for a second before looking back down at her lap fiddling with her fingers. "I'm sorry to disturb you and papa at work. I.. I won't do it again."

"That's not what we meant princess. Daddy and I were glad that you called us. We want you to call us when something is wrong so we can help you. What daddy and I meant was we want to know what happened the day when we were gone for the case. Something happened in school?" Morgan asked.

"Nothing happened in school papa.."

"Okay, Then did something happened on your way home or at home itself?"

"No.."

Morgan let out a sigh which alerted Reid to his husband's slowly building up frustration. Although Morgan wasn't someone who would vent out his frustration on a person he will vent it in other ways that will injure him. Reid closes the gap between him and Emmi and wrap her in his arms. Like him, Emmi prefers to keep mum about matters that bother her as she does not want to trouble anyone. They both have a hard time opening up to others. Reid was lucky in the sense that he has Morgan who he trusts most above anyone else. Even though Emmi has been living with them since she was 2 years old, she has yet to fully trust anyone.

"Emmi sweetheart, papa and I loves you very much. We know there is something that is upsetting you and from what you said during the call it sounded so serious and its more than just nothing."

Emmi remained silent. Reid took the cue to continue.

"Well one day papa and I decided that we are ready to be parents. I was over my fear of scaring children and papa was simply ready to be a papa." Reid paused and smiled at his husband who shyly smiled back. He then continued "We were settled and we wanted to a kid to share the joy and love forever. We didn't know who it was going to be but when we saw you, we immediately knew you were the one for us."

"How?" Emmi looks up and questioned.

"We just know", Morgan said.

"Now sis we answer your question?" Reid asked.

Emmi nodded before saying something "papa… daddy.. I'm sorry. You are kind to love me even after knowing about my past. The .. the reason for the call was because I felt that I have disappointed you both. I realise that I am not smart like you daddy. I got my mid-year exam results and I'm sorry daddy for not scoring very high. Papa, I didn't make it to the soccer team. I tried papa..I trained so hard but I couldn't do it well. I'm sorry I cannot live up to the both of you. Please don't replace or send me away."

With that said Emmi ran up to her room, shut the door and let herself fall to ground crying. She was so embarrass and self-conscious on the fact that she is not biologically daddy and papa's daughter. She loves them whole heartedly but the thought of her parents realizing that SHE was a mistake tore her self-esteem greatly.

Still sitting on the couch of the living room, Reid and Morgan were stunned.


End file.
